Published: Sunday, August 31, 2014 at 5:07 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, August 31, 2014 at 5:07 p.m.

When it came time for her dance solo Sunday, Eilish Easler didn't hesitate to bust a move. She high-kicked across the stage with the aplomb of a Rockette as the N.C. Apple Festival crowd cheered her on.

Her 12-year-old brother, Aiden, was next. Propelling his wheelchair mid-stage, he popped one wheelie in synch with the music, followed by two more as the audience went nuts.

When the Easlers and their classmates from Releve Performing Arts Center finished their jazz number, the crowd leapt to their feet for the day's only standing ovation. Many in the audience wiped away tears as the special needs dance students held up their arms in triumph.

The scene was reminiscent of a recital the special needs jazz dance class participated in at the school in June, said Releve co-owner Beth Bradley.

“It was amazing,” Bradley said backstage. “We were all in tears. The whole place was crying. They got a standing ovation and they were so happy. We couldn't get them off the stage afterward. I was like, 'Okay, you're done.' They wanted to keep on dancing.”

Bradley — whose parents have adopted 22 children, most with developmental disabilities — started the special needs dance class at Releve last fall with encouragement from her mother, Lynn Easler.

“Three of the dancers are my siblings,” Bradley said. “That's how we started it. My mom told me I needed to get on the ball and start a special needs class, so I said, 'Yes, ma'am.'”

Since then, participation has been strong enough to add a second class on Mondays. The 12 children, ranging in age from 7 to 18, have been practicing two weeks for their big day, Bradley said.

The dance class, along with special needs baseball and cheerleading, is one of the few opportunities 12-year-old Faith Wich has to socialize and play with her friends outside of school, said her mother Cheryl.

“There's not a lot of extracurricular activities for these special needs kids,” Wich said. The class is also great for helping to build muscle tone and balancing skills, she said, which kids with Down syndrome often lack.

“A lot of these kids didn't walk until they were almost three or four, so it helps keep them in shape for the rest of their lives,” Wich said. “And to enjoy the music. Most special needs kids, they thrive on music. It's a way for them to express their emotions.”

Asked if her daughter was nervous about performing in front of several hundred spectators, Wich laughed. “No, anytime these kids can get an audience, you've got a party – an instant party,” she said.

Steve Easler said his children look forward to attending dance class every week because “they love being with their friends and they love doing extracurricular activities with their friends. Dance is good because it's not about anyone's ability. It's just, let's do something and have fun.”

The physical elements of dance are also beneficial for the kids, Bradley said, whether they have Down syndrome, cerebral palsy or spina bifida.

“The Downs kids have the low muscle tone, but spina bifida is very stiff and tight,” Bradley said. “So it gets her loose and it teaches the others how to control their muscles. We actually had a physical therapist come visit our class last year and she was thrilled, because we are modeling what she's working on with these kids.”

Bradley encourages any parent with a special needs child interested in joining the class to contact her at 828-696-4141. For information about the school's other offerings, visit www.releveperformingartscenter.com.

<p>When it came time for her dance solo Sunday, Eilish Easler didn't hesitate to bust a move. She high-kicked across the stage with the aplomb of a Rockette as the N.C. Apple Festival crowd cheered her on.</p><p>Her 12-year-old brother, Aiden, was next. Propelling his wheelchair mid-stage, he popped one wheelie in synch with the music, followed by two more as the audience went nuts.</p><p>When the Easlers and their classmates from Releve Performing Arts Center finished their jazz number, the crowd leapt to their feet for the day's only standing ovation. Many in the audience wiped away tears as the special needs dance students held up their arms in triumph.</p><p>The scene was reminiscent of a recital the special needs jazz dance class participated in at the school in June, said Releve co-owner Beth Bradley.</p><p>“It was amazing,” Bradley said backstage. “We were all in tears. The whole place was crying. They got a standing ovation and they were so happy. We couldn't get them off the stage afterward. I was like, 'Okay, you're done.' They wanted to keep on dancing.”</p><p>Bradley — whose parents have adopted 22 children, most with developmental disabilities — started the special needs dance class at Releve last fall with encouragement from her mother, Lynn Easler.</p><p>“Three of the dancers are my siblings,” Bradley said. “That's how we started it. My mom told me I needed to get on the ball and start a special needs class, so I said, 'Yes, ma'am.'”</p><p>Since then, participation has been strong enough to add a second class on Mondays. The 12 children, ranging in age from 7 to 18, have been practicing two weeks for their big day, Bradley said.</p><p>The dance class, along with special needs baseball and cheerleading, is one of the few opportunities 12-year-old Faith Wich has to socialize and play with her friends outside of school, said her mother Cheryl.</p><p>“There's not a lot of extracurricular activities for these special needs kids,” Wich said. The class is also great for helping to build muscle tone and balancing skills, she said, which kids with Down syndrome often lack.</p><p>“A lot of these kids didn't walk until they were almost three or four, so it helps keep them in shape for the rest of their lives,” Wich said. “And to enjoy the music. Most special needs kids, they thrive on music. It's a way for them to express their emotions.”</p><p>Asked if her daughter was nervous about performing in front of several hundred spectators, Wich laughed. “No, anytime these kids can get an audience, you've got a party – an instant party,” she said.</p><p>Steve Easler said his children look forward to attending dance class every week because “they love being with their friends and they love doing extracurricular activities with their friends. Dance is good because it's not about anyone's ability. It's just, let's do something and have fun.”</p><p>The physical elements of dance are also beneficial for the kids, Bradley said, whether they have Down syndrome, cerebral palsy or spina bifida.</p><p>“The Downs kids have the low muscle tone, but spina bifida is very stiff and tight,” Bradley said. “So it gets her loose and it teaches the others how to control their muscles. We actually had a physical therapist come visit our class last year and she was thrilled, because we are modeling what she's working on with these kids.”</p><p>Bradley encourages any parent with a special needs child interested in joining the class to contact her at 828-696-4141. For information about the school's other offerings, visit www.releveperformingartscenter.com.</p><p>___</p><p>Reach Axtell at than.axtell@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7860.</p>